Automation in the development, production and assembly of wiring harnesses for cars requires, above all, that automation-friendly design decisions are made as early as the development stage. But when is the design of a wiring harness actually automation-friendly? And how is it ensured that the answer to this question is not redeveloped each time?

The solution is DIN 72036 on the subject of "Automation of wire harness production". It standardizes important aspects of automation-friendliness in 60 design guidelines from different areas. The design guideline itself is usually just a single sentence, for example "A defined minimum distance must be maintained between two neighboring connection points." However, there is a lot attached to such a rule: the standard not only explains the background and thus the added value for automation, it also contains a large number of illustrations that explain what is intended and what is not. It also specifies corresponding target values, in this example these would be length specifications in millimetres.

It also underpins target values with references to digital data formats, such as the KBL ("wire harness list") and the VEC ("Vehicle Electric Container"), which was further developed from the KBL. These are widely used in the industry. DIN 72036 thus provides a basis for "rule checkers" in the development tools to automatically generate information during the development process as to whether a design guideline is being adhered to or not.

The publication of DIN 72036 should therefore trigger a series of innovative impulses: From industry-specific automation solutions for machines and systems to providers of corresponding software solutions and the prospect of being able to manufacture Wire Harness economically with a high degree of automation, even in a high-wage country like Germany. The authors expect DIN 72036 to provide a significant impetus for the advancing automation of Wire Harness and production, from which all stages of the value chain will benefit.

Work is already underway behind the scenes on the next version. This is also being developed by working group 51 as part of the "E/E components and general system requirements" working committee in the DIN Automotive Standards Committee (NAAutomobil). Working Group 51 is supported by the Wire Harness Standardization Initiative (SILS). The SILS is a cooperation within the framework of ARENA2036, in which companies from all stages of the wire harness value chain are involved, from automotive manufacturers and assemblers to component, machine and software manufacturers. SILS contributes its preliminary work to AK51. These proposals were introduced to the DIN working group on this topic, which further refined them and formulated them in DIN 72036. This saves work and creates speed. The AK51 is confident that the next version of DIN 72036 can therefore be published as early as 2025.

Further information: https://www.dinmedia.de/de/norm/din-72036/376689255 and www.arena2036.d e/sils